Method of attaching buttons



(No Model.)

1 J. MATHISON.

METHOD OF ATTAGHING BUTTONS.

No. 457,738. Patented Aug. 11, 1891.

QQ Q IQSS'EE: IPIVZHTEJW @j/dzda K g UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH MATHISON, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

METHOD OF ATTACHING BUTTONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 457,738, dated August 11, 1891. Application filed June 16, 1890. Serial No. 355,572- (No model.)'

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH MATHISON, of Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Attaching Boot or Shoe Buttons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to enable buttons to be securely and quickly attached to the uppers of boots or shoes by a metallic fastening device; and it consists in first inserting the prongs or legs of a wire staple through the piece to which the button is to be attached, so that the cross-bar of the staple will bear against the inner or under side of said piece and the prongs will project outwardly from the outer side thereof, then bending said prongs inwardly, passing the same through the eye of the button, and then forcing the said prongs through the button-piece from its outer side and bending or clinching their ends to engage them with the buttonpiece, and thus hold the loops into which the prongs of the staple are converted in permanent engagement with the button-piece, all of which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side view of a wire staple adapted to be converted into a button-fastener embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents aperspective view of a button and the fastener engaged with the eye thereof and a sectional view of a part of the button-supporting piece. Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of the fastener shown in Fig. 2 detached from the button and button-piece. Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of the button and a differently-formed fastener engaged with the eye thereof and a sectional view of the button-piece. Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of a fastener differing in its form from those shown in the preceding figures.

The same letters and numerals of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In carrying out my invention I take a staple a, Fig. 1, of suitably flexible Wire, and force the prongs or legs 2 2 thereof outwardly through the piece I), to which the button 0 is to be secured, the cross-bar 3 ot the staple bearing on the inner side of said piece, while the prongs project from the outer surface thereof. I then bend said prongs inwardly toward each other and pass them through the eye of the button in opposite directions. I then bend the outer portion of each prong downwardly and force it through the button-piece, thus converting each prong into a loop 0, which is engaged at both ends with the button-piece b, so that the button is connected with the button-piece by two wire loops, the ends of which are embedded firmly in the material of the piece.

The ends of the prongs may be bentoutward- 1y, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to lie against the inner surface of the button-piece, or they may be bent in any other suitable direction to prevent the loops 0 from being loosened.

Fig. 4: shows the ends of the prongs bent outwardly and upwardly, so as to again penetrate the button-piece. Fig. 5 shows said ends bent inwardly to bear on the inner side of the button-piece and outwardly to penetrate the button-piece. The button is thus securely attached to the piece 1) and can only be removed by cutting or breaking the staple or by unbending the loops 4 4.

I claim The method of attaching shoe-buttons, consisting in inserting a metal staple from the under side of the button-supporting piece through the latter, then passing the prongs of the staple in opposite directions through the eye of the button, and finally engaging the ends of said prongs with the button-piece, and thereby converting each prong into a loop, which is attached at both ends to the button piece, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 14th day of June, A. D. 1890.

JOSEPH MATHISON.

Witnesses:

O. F. BROWN, A. D. HARRISON. 

